Page:Banking Under Difficulties- Or Life On The Goldfields Of Victoria, New South Wales And New Zealand (1888).pdf/57

48

the 5th May, 1860, I was ordered to Kiandra, or as it was more generally known, Snowy River, in New South Wales. I accordingly made a start for Melbourne on the 9th idem, in one of Cobb and Co.’s coaches, which was crammed with passengers. The roads were exceedingly dusty, and the journey consequently anything but an agreeable one. I called at the office in Melbourne, where I received my instructions as to route, &c. I found that I had to proceed per steamer to Eden, Twofold Bay, and from thence to Kiandra, an overland journey of 150 miles. I took my passage per City of Sydney, on 17th May, and arrived at Eden at 3 a.m. on the 19th, collected all my traps, including saddle and bridle, got into a boat and went ashore. It was a good job that I had my things with me, as the next boat capsized just as it reached the apology for a wharf, on which there was no light. I was up betimes next morning and had a look round.

The township of Eden is situated overlooking the bay. There are capital fishing grounds, both in and outside the bay, and in the proper season a good number of the inhabitants devote themselves to whaling.

I did not relish the long overland journey, however it had to be done, so I looked round for a horse. This was a part of the business I did not understand; I knew as much about a horse as a horse did about me. At last I met a young man who had a horse for sale—in fact I have met few colonials who had not. He told me that he was going about seventy miles on my road—this settled the point, I made up my mind to buy the horse before I had even seen him.

To show the style of travelling in those days I here give an extract from my diary.

Next morning I went round to look at the nag, and became the purchaser for the sum of £20. We made a start same day in company. Before starting I purchased at Solomon’s store a woollen jacket, which reached almost to my heels. This I found most inconvenient to carry, it being so bulky, and very much in the way. I donned for the first time riding boots and breeches, and very uncomfortable I felt in them.